I am a film buff. Beyond horror, Indian cinema in particular is one of my great passions, which is why I think it’s time to call attention to a group of men (seven in all) known mainly for their schlock, as well as the fact that they are some of the rare filmmakers to actually create legitimate (‘legitimate’) horror cinema…in Bollywood.

Starting with ‘Do Gaz Zameen Ke Neeche (1972)‘, which actually isn’t a bad movie at all, the Ramsay brothers didn’t come from cinema royalty, as quite a few actors/directors/etc in Bollywood in particular tend to, but they actually got into film after their father (F. U. Ramsay) opened a couple of electronics stores. DGZKN was their first (and possibly only) notable movie that really helped them get into the swing of budget horror.

Thanks to that movie, they were able to finance quite a few low budget horror flicks, a vast majority of them in the 80s. India wasn’t, and still isn’t known for their horror. This is perfectly understandable, when you remind yourself that a lot of Bollywood cinema does have musical numbers. It’s almost impossible to make a terrifying picture in the midst of that element, and a lot of times it does take away from the very little horror that is available there in a big way.

The Ramsay brothers essentially ruled the roost in Bollywood horror in their hay day, because they were tapping into something nobody else really was. There was an odd film here or there, but really, the vast majority of even the more horrific Indian films tend to leaned towards noir. There were, of course, plenty of copycats to follow, but the Ramsays were the first. They also tended to do a lot of ‘screen-stripping’, the art of watching one movie, writing down your favorite bits, and throwing it into a new script with a different title and enough of your own flare to technically call it a different movie.

The introduction of the action boom in the early 90s saw their schlocky horror fare taking more of a backseat, as audiences simply lost interest in reincarnated demon-werewolf babies produced from the seeds of vengeance, promiscuous behavior, and murderous ancestor husbands. Their last true film they made in the genre was a Bollywood answer to Nightmare on Elm Street, ‘Mahakaal’…which, like most of their movies, took your basic popular Hollywood film and applied a cultural wash. But, after that, they did the ‘Zee Horror Show’, which as a popcorn muncher…can be pretty fun. Afterwards, at least on the small screen, there have been countless different horror anthology series who I’m not afraid to say were and are heavily inspired by the Ramsays.

These brothers built a mini-industry with what they did. They blazed a trail. Essentially, they created an entire genre, and their movies still have a pretty massive cult following today all around the world. Essentially, they made fun films. Sometimes fun is the most important part in a horror movie. Without further ado, I think it’s time to share a bit of music from the Ramsay Dracula, ‘Bandh Darwaza‘…which both illustrates how well they adapted stories for the Indian screen, but also why sometimes music just…doesn’t work when you’ve got a monster in the room.

Ah, the much-maligned and neglected realm of Pakistani cinema. A realm of sometimes beautiful, and most of the time…questionable movies. Luckily, Zinda Laash is actually one of the former. It’s incredibly difficult to get your hands on pretty much any Lollywood movies, and especially ones with English subtitles. Lucky for us this one is probably the easiest movie from them you can find, restored lovingly, and also…the first X rated horror film in Lollywood history. Funny, because it’s hardly even close to rivaling what you’d consider the lustier of the Hammer horror movies.

It’s Dracula, it’s a mad scientist, it’s dancing, it’s awesome 60s perms, and lovingly painted shadows created in only the way black-and-white films can offer.

If that isn’t enough to convince you to watch ‘Dracula in Pakistan’/’Zinda Laash’/’The Living Corpse’ this October, maybe this charming dance sequence will convince you…

This year I’m going to try something a little different for the Halloween party playlist. Instead of music, I decided to bring you all back to your childhoods, or perhaps give the kids something to pass the time after their late night trick-or-treating festivities are over, and they’re far too tired to sort their candy out before bed. This list contains cartoons, classic tv shows, and even commercials that I’ve gleaned from Youtube.

Alas and alack, they may eventually be taken down, but certainly not before this year’s Spooky celebrations. So, without further ado, I give you…My Halloween 2016 Party Playlist!

Some of the videos may not play on the blog, but don’t worry. You can find the direct playlist here!

Right before Halloween, we come to the end of our current issue. The first story today features an antique…Krishna-Buddha fusion statue? I’m not sure. I’ve never heard of Buddha having 6 arms…but it doesn’t really matter. Such a short story, I was actually surprised by the ending. It’s honestly one of my favorites I’ve read in the comics I’ve shared so far. But I love bitter irony.

The second story is a unique twist on an age-old urban legend, of a young girl trying to get home…but never makes it, and always leaves whatever innocent driver who decided to give her a lift with a chill down his spine. Enjoyable, short, and one of the better versions of the story I’ve read.

Finally, our last story…is vaguely reminiscent of a classic Twilight Zone episode, with a much creepier looking doll.

The apple doesn’t far from the tree, and the something gruesome doesn’t…I don’t know. I was trying to come up with an appropriate pun to describe the first story in this post, but I failed miserably. I don’t know how you let me rope you into it…yeah, that one was pretty bad. I guess you don’t hit them out of the park every time. I absolutely adore the first page of the second story, however, as the colors remind me of the best sort of Tales From the Crypt art. The story itself…hopefully won’t leave you watching over your shoulder every so often in fear.

Spanish is a beautiful language, no matter the dialect. Mexican Spanish in particular is the one I’m accustomed to hearing the most (being from Texas.) I love the husky quality of a slow speech in a Mexican film, especially when you combine it with the crackle of old cinema, and the eery atmosphere of shadows created in a black-and-white picture. Combine that with angry witches, curses, mirrors…you’ve got yourself an incredible picture.

On a dark night, preferably a rainy one too, watch this one by candlelight. Keep your phone off. Don’t let anything distract you…and soak it in like a bath. It’s how all true horror should be experienced, especially dark classics like ‘The Witch’s Mirror’, which tells the story of a witch…obviously…who tried to protect her god-daughter, but failed…and seeks vengeance on the young woman’s husband who murdered her through the power of the same magic she had tried using for good.

In light of this year’s tragedy (which only serves to make me even more aware that eventually John Carpenter’s going to kick the bucket too), I decided to recommend something I’ve not only got on this month’s watch list for you guys, but probably one of the best horror film documentaries I’ve ever seen. Painstakingly created by people who clearly loved the NOES series, which excellent stop motion interludes between sequences…this is a documentary I could easily say might become part of my personal yearly Halloween watch list.

If you like Robert Englund. If you like Wes Craven. If you like NOES or Freddy. If you like horror documentaries. If you like any and/or all of the above, I urge you to watch this as soon as you can. It’s just that good.

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